Phoned the Surgery at 8.00am this morning on behalf of my 90 year old father, he had needed the emergency service at the weekend. They had advised he follow up with a GP appointment as their tests showed a concern which should be reviewed by the GP. Made many calls which were answered with "The queue is full, call back later". This is not a service, we will persevere and see if we ever get to the point of being able to make an appointment, but surely a 90 year old can't be expected to navigate this process.

Disgraceful service and they should be ashamed of themselves. These are the facts: 1. You cannot get through on the phone unless you try 7/8 times multiple times a day 2. If you do eventually get through, you are given appointment dates at least 3 weeks ahead 3. These so called 'appointments' are in fact telephone consultations 4. I'm 55 so maybe I am not a priority but my mother in-law is 88 with numerous health issues and all of the above applies to her too My advice to anyone is to find another practice and if this is the NHS that I am being asked to support with increased pay for doctors then they can think again. Awful, awful, awful

My 82 year old mother is in very bad pain . She was told to ring for an appointment and at 07.59 the message said ring at 8.00 which she did . Bang on 8.00 and was then told call log full call back later . 13 times she rang and got the same response. So I took her to the surgery and she finally got an appointment . 1 person behind the reception and for 15 minutes no phones rang not once . So where is this mysterious phone centre . Anyone needing an appointment just go to the surgery and if there is a massive queue then this surgery should learn how to treat people . No wonder they were 3rd on the list of the worst surgeries on the wirral

We have a 3 years old boy had appointments two times and always warm welcome from receptionist and special thanks to Dawn and Patrick for looking after our son. We are pleased very well with Eastham Group Practice.

I have been trying to get the results of a blood test for 6 days waiting endlessly in queues for over 30mins at a time only to be cut off when I finally got to the front or phoning and finding that the results line was not working for some unknown reason.

Awful in every way. waited in the queue for ages, finally it was my turn, I heard the receptionist sigh and hang up instantly. I also remember being in a queue for 2 hours trying to get seen and they hung up, I rang at 8:01

I was with Eastham Group practice for over a decade and was always really happy with their service. This year though the decline was noticeable, far worse than other local surgeries who are no longer blaming COVID for only offering econsults. Phones go unanswered - I know as I was on hold for over an hour several times. Almost impossible to see anyone face-to-face even when the medical need requires it. Empty surgery and even when you are lucky to get a GP appointment, even when you're first in they still don't run on time. A real shame and I've moved to The Orchard where, I'm happy to say, they answer their phones and appear to be running quite normally.

Awful practice. Receptionist is not helpful one bit. Keep getting a sarcastic attitude from them. Don't deal with any complaints, the whole place is a mess. The manager should be ashamed 😡😡😡😠

Seemingly impossible to get through on the phones, at any time of day. Rang in the afternoon, to avoid the morning rush. On hold for 3/4 an hour before I gave up. Useless.

I was with Eastham Group Practice for many years. It has not been a positive experience. Difficulty getting through to a doctor, you're lucky if you can book a telephone appointment within 2 weeks, as if we can put our illnesses on hold. People must be dying in Bromborough and Eastham whilst they wait to even talk to a doctor. Not fit for purpose.

I can highly recommend Dr Cowan at this practice. A wonderful Dr who is professional, helpful and goes above and beyond in these difficult times. I cannot thank this lovely Dr enough

Nightmare to get through to on the phone but that's all nhs drs ! The team are lovely and always fit my kids on for an appointment the patches system is great though. The reception team are very helpful especially Debbie.

the GPs themselves are amazing and actually listen to you but the reception is awful, they apparently open at 8:30 weekdays but you can never actually get through to them, must be the quietest surgery in the country due to lack of appointment

Fantastic Doctors, very friendly and extremely helpful and cheerful staff, have had nothing but positive experiences every time. All staff from receptionists , nurses and GP’s go above and beyond for you!

Can’t get through - no follow up and always delay on signing prescriptions - compare with others and they are in a different league

Can only agree with comments below, getting an appointment is very difficult, very rude reception staff too, pretty much think they have over subscribed on patients and seen the money reward that comes with it , shockingly taking their eye off the fact they are a care system support and they simply don't care... Obviously a good making business, shame it's not good at caring. I've left and moved to a close alternative and all I can say is the difference is world's apart. Shows this group practice has no touch point with its patients. Shockinh

I was a patient at Eastham Group for many years and found it to be shockingly poor. I am diabetic type 1 and have my diabetes looked after by my local outpatients clinic, and have done since becoming a diabetic at the age of 7. I was clear about this with Eastham Group when I registered, yet year after year they would constantly get me mixed up with their type 2 diabetics and send me appointments with their diabetic nurse. I would phone to explain and would receive short shrift from the staff who would seem confused as to what to do. I raised not 1, not 2, but 3 separate complaints about this same issue, all of which ended up in the hands of the practice manager who would promise me it wouldn't happen again. After the 3rd complaint, the letters, including reminders and threats of removing me from the practice (if I didn't attend) finally stopped. However what also stopped from this point forward, was my priority as a type 1 diabetic for annual flu jabs. I was never contacted by phone, text or email to tell me they were available, despite my sister who lives a quarter of a mile from me receiving calls and emails inviting her along for hers. Then Covid19 happened and after isolating for 12 months due to being identified as 'Clinically Extremely Vulnerable' the vaccination rollout finally began. Except yet again, I was missed by Eastham Group Practice, despite assurances from my government headed letter that my GP would be in touch. It was only when I forwarded them the letter that I had received that I mysteriously received an invite for a vaccination (the very same day). 6 months later, it was time for my 2nd Covid Jab and yet again I received an official letter from the government telling me that I would receive my jab as a matter of priority given my condition. However yet again, Eastham Group failed to contact me and infact invited my sister along for her vaccination before me. My sister is asthmatic but was never identified as clinically vulnerably extreme. I emailed Eastham Group to ask why my sister had received her appointment before me despite my letter from the government, and received a very arrogant response in return telling me that they had 5000 patients to contact and every single letter was in the post and I would receive mine in due course. I responded by asking if they had 5000 type 1 diabetics but never received a response. Instead, a mysterious text arrived inviting me along for my jab, what a revelation. As for the letter that was in the post, nothing ever arrived. Fast forward 6 months and I received another officially headed letter from the government telling me to expect an invitiation for a 2nd booster jab as a priority patient. But can you guess what's coming? - Yep, good old Eastham Group failed their patient care yet again and missed me off. I emailed them and forwarded the letter and they didn't even have the good grace t apologise, instead the mysterious text invitation arrived. I am convinced that Eastham Group removed 'Diabetic' from my record to avoid their admin staff sending me out letters for their type 2 appointments, because they were that negligent. I can't think of any other reason why I would be missed for all 3 covid jabs and flu vaccinations, despite my immune system being severly compromised. I am happy to say I have now left this practice and coudn't recommend them to my worst enemy. The doctors and nurses might be very nice, but they're let down by a poorly run practice who couldn't care less about patient care.

*updating to 3 stars* things appear to have improved, easier to get through for an appointment, and nice friendly doctors Trying to get an appointment is near impossible. No one ever answers the phone, I was also unimpressed with the lack of clarity for the process of getting results from a sample. They need to really look at there website and triaging process also as it just doesn't work, nearly all triaging ends with call 111. I found better value with the walk in centre. Management need to review there whole service operation imo. Update * moving down to 1 star, I tried to get my daughter an appointment, was told it would be a phone appointment. Never got a phone call, hardly surprising* I would urge anyone thinking of joining this practise to seek care elsewhere.

Small delay on getting connect but once through the receptionist was very helpful and arranged an appointment for me today. The Doctor was friendly and professional and gave me a good check up. Overall experience was very good.

Great doctors. Very well run. Very nice people.

Mostly really helpful.but the practice has. Grown too fast it is not able to give the same family feel .

Unbelievably difficult to get an appointment! I've made appointments on the patient access app only to find they have disappeared! Even when you phone them, often the queue is closed! Not fit for purpose! Having said that, when you do manage to see someone, the nurses and most GPs are lovely, apart from the rude Dr George

I am very a where what's going on at the moment, but I have concerns over data protection , today I dropped a sample off , it was left in a white bucket out side the main reception doors no lid , so everyone's personal data on show , , they have always been good to me and looked after me when I Frist arrived in the area three years ago , please don't let standards fail because of covid

I was able to get a late evening appointment as I couldn’t get booked in with my usual surgery. I was booked quickly and everyone at the surgery was really pleasant and friendly - including the doctor I saw. I would go back if I needed another late appointment.

Used to be an average surgery but since covid the reception staff will use every excuse under the sun to prevent anyone seeing a doctor. They are rude, abrasive and down right arrogant in their role as gatekeepers to the NHS, which is supposed to accessible to everyone that needs it. Spent over an hour on the phone yesterday, constantly being told there were 5 people ahead of me. Walked into reception, whilst still on the phone, not one phone was ringing, no-one at the reception desk, one patient waiting in reception and two staff members gossiping about someone taking time off to go to the dentist. The irony of being able to see a dentist but not a doctor was obviously lost on them. To see a dr you have to ring when the surgery opens. You are greeted by a message stating the queue is full, call back later. When you call back later any on the day availability has gone. On the miraculous occasion you manage to speak to a receptionist they won’t give you an appointment but will grudgingly add you to a list for a telephone consultation. However, even this is hit and miss as there have been several times the telephone consultation has not been made. So you have to start the process again. If you are lucky enough to receive a phone call the gp will inevitably tell you come into the surgery anyway. So an appointment slot has been used for the phone call and then another slot used to actually see the gp. So two appointment slots used for one patient, how is that time efficient? But do not expect to be seen at your allocated time. This would be a foolish expectation. The only thing this surgery has going for it is the actual medically trained staff. They are very friendly and considerate and are doing their best under difficult circumstances. The thing that lets this surgery down is the admin team running the show, patients are clearly an irritating inconvenience in their day and should be treated with contempt.

Edit: I have increased my rating from 1 to 3 stars. I am still not happy about what has happened, but recently (especially since the introduction of Patch’s) the service has improved quite a bit. A way to go still though. I have been with Eastham Group Practice for over 40 years and I will be leaving soon. The service is abysmal since Dr Bush retired. It is impossible to see a doctor, even if you specifically ask for one. Instead you are seen by other medical staff, who I can only describe as hostile and make you wish that you hadn’t ’disturbed’ them. I feel very uncomfortable each time I go now. A consultant asked me to complete a form and pass it on to the gp, who was then instructed to send it back to the consultant. I gave the form to the surgery in November. I chased it up yesterday (19th April) and they hadn’t sent it on to the consultant. They promised to send it that day. Just 5 months late. Another example… I was very ill with a chest infection. I had a chest x ray and after a few days I received a text that an appointment with a gp had been made for me in 6 days time. The gp told me I needed antibiotics. So the surgery knew for 6 days that I needed antibiotics and didn’t inform me. I complained and many months later I haven’t heard anything, even after chasing it up. I will be going to a higher authority. The gps are very helpful themselves, but it seems they are now a protected species. What a shame.

Absolutely amazing GP surgery. Most professional staff at all levels. Cannot find any fault with them. Nothing is too much trouble and they are all so friendly and caring.

This is by far the worst GP practice I’ve ever been with! Only been here 12 months and my kids (3 and 1) have been turned away more times than I can count! With the old ring at 8am system I’d call dot on 8 and even if I got through within 5/10 mins I’d be turned away for an appointment for my children! Now that they use PATCHS we’re finally able to get an appointment but they ignore everything you write on the form! I specify days I am in work and they don’t even bother to read it, not only do they not bother to read when you’re available they don’t even read your symptoms! The staff are clueless about the new system and very unhelpful and priority seems to be given to elderly patients and not to young children! They’ve previously given my 1 year old (when she was 11 months old) an appointment with an ANP which isn’t even allowed! I most recently had to threaten legal action to get an appointment for my one year old which was the final straw. I’ve now moved so please save yourself the trouble and don’t join this appalling practice! I work in admin at a GP practice and know for a fact they should not be running things the way they are and some of the things they’re doing are illegal. Practice manager should be ashamed as should the partners